All Speakers

Speaker Paola MEJÍA
Paola MEJÍA

MSc Ciencias Ambientales

IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas 2021-2025

Thematic Vice Chair, Conservation Outcomes. With more than 20 years of experience in Protected Areas and other area-based conservation measures in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa,…
Speaker George SHILLINGER
George SHILLINGER

Financial Contact

MIGRAMAR

Dr. George Shillinger is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Upwell Turtles. He previously served as Executive Director for The Leatherback Trust. George has worked in environmental conservation…
Speaker Niladri GUPTA
Niladri GUPTA

Regional Coordinator Water and Wetlands Asia

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

I work as the Regional Coordinator Water and Wetlands, IUCN-Asia Regional Office. My professional journey includes design and implementation of climate resilient water resources project in South Asia…
Speaker Kolawolé Saïd HOUNKPONOU
Kolawolé Saïd HOUNKPONOU

Directeur Général de l'Eau

Direction Générale de l'Eau / Ministère de l'Energie, de l'Eau et des Mines

Mr. HOUNKPONOU Kolawolé Saïd, a Beninese national, began his professional career as a research assistant at the National Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in 2004 after obtaining his Agro-…
ELISA FURLAN
ELISA FURLAN
Speaker Cymie PAYNE
Cymie PAYNE

Professor

Rutgers University

Professor Cymie R. Payne is on the faculty of Rutgers University. She has appeared as counsel before the Internationall Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and as expert before the International Court of…
Speaker Clara Ligia SOLANO GUTIERREZ
Clara Ligia SOLANO GUTIERREZ

DIRECTORA EJECUTIVA

Fundación Natura Colombia

Speaker Megan SIM
Megan SIM

IBAT Programme Officer

IBAT

Megan Sim is a Programme Officer on the IBAT team, where she supports businesses and financial institutions in integrating biodiversity into their decision-making. With previous experience in…
Speaker Mark EIGENRAAM
Mark EIGENRAAM

Director

IDEEA Group

Mark has worked in environmental markets and natural capital accounting for over 25 years across academic and government institutions at all levels. Mark produced Australia’s first set of…
Speaker pauli merriman
pauli merriman

Interim Senior Director, Oceans

WWF International

Pauli is a committed global leader in ocean conservation, policy, and advocacy, dedicated to driving transformative solutions for people and nature. As Interim Senior Director of Oceans for WWF…
Speaker Craig BENNETT
Craig BENNETT

CEO

The Wildlife Trusts

Biography for Craig Bennett (for IUCN WCC) (English)Chief Executive, The Wildlife TrustsCandidate for IUCN Councillor elected from the Region - West Europe Craig is Chief Executive of The…
Speaker Jennifer CORPUZ
Jennifer CORPUZ

Fellow and Strategic Advisor

Nia Tero

I am an Indigenous woman from the Kankanaey Igorot People of Besao, Mountain Province in the Philippines. I am a lawyer by profession, having obtained my Bachelor of Laws degree from the University…
Speaker Grethel AGUILAR ROJAS
Grethel AGUILAR ROJAS

Director General

IUCN

Dr Grethel Aguilar, born in Costa Rica, assumed office as Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in October 2023. Dr Aguilar brings with her thirty years of…
Speaker Nasim FARAHANI ZAYAS
Nasim FARAHANI ZAYAS

IUCN

Nasim is a Programme Officer at the IUCN Academy, where she develops and delivers educational programmes, collaborates with partner universities, and supports capacity-building initiatives across…
Speaker Carina HIRSCH
Carina HIRSCH

Head of Advocacy & Policy

Margaret Pyke Trust

Speaker JOSEPH PIERRE CLAUDE GASCON
JOSEPH PIERRE CLAUDE GASCON

DIRECTOR

Global Environment Facility

Dr. Claude Gascon is Director of Strategy and Operations at the Global Environment Facility (GEF).   In this capacity Dr. Gascon leads the development of strategic planning, programming,…
Speaker Laurence PESSEZ
Laurence PESSEZ

Global Chief Sustainability Officer

BNP Paribas

As creator of the Sustainability function within the group, Laurence is managing BNP Paribas related policy and contributed to obtaining several awards such as the “World Best Bank for Sustainable…
Speaker Elsa G RICHARDSON TEMM
Elsa G RICHARDSON TEMM

Lead, GEF Small Grant Program

The Global Environment Facility

Gabriella has over 25 years of experience in advancing human rights, social inclusion, and sustainability in global conservation. With an academic background in sociology and economics, she has led…
Speaker Edgar RIBEIRO
Edgar RIBEIRO

Programme Officer

IUCN SSC CEC Behaviour Change Task Force

B.Sc. in Biology and Geology, with a specialization in Environmental Education, Edgar has 15 years of experience at Zoomarine Portugal, where he has developed expertise across multiple disciplines…
Speaker Kotoko YADOMARU
Kotoko YADOMARU

President

NatureLit Japan

Kotoko Yadomaru is a dedicated environmental communicator, committed to fostering meaningfulchange. She has committed herself to youth engagement in environmental action for over five years.…
Speaker Chandni NAVALKHA
Chandni NAVALKHA

Director, Conservation and Stewardship

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Chandni Navalkha is Director of Conservation and Stewardship at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, where she leads initiatives that advance and accelerate the…
Speaker David GADSDEN
David GADSDEN

Senior Geospatial Advisor

DevPartners

Applied geographer with over 30 years of experience designing and implementing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for conservation, sustainable development, and humanitarian organizations. Global…
Speaker Tara SHYAM
Tara SHYAM

Director

Regen10

Tara Shyam leads Regen10, an international, multistakeholder initiative committed to advancing a global food system that inclusively supports healthier people, nature, and climate. Tara is a…
Speaker Jennifer Nora GARDNER
Jennifer Nora GARDNER

Disaster Resilience Manager

International Fund for Animal Welfare

Since joining IFAW’s Disaster Response team in 2012, Jennifer has supported animals in disasters in more than 50 countries around the world. Through deployments to disasters like wildfires,…
Speaker Carla DANELUTTI
Carla DANELUTTI

Mediterranean program coordinator

IUCN

 15 years of progressively responsible experience in environmental conservation, project management, and internationalcollaboration, aligning closely with the responsibilities and objectives…
Speaker Mark DIMECH
Mark DIMECH

Marine Director

9808U66216

Dr. Mark Dimech, obtained his Ph.D. in Ocean Sciences, at the University of Wales, Bangor, U.K. He has 25 years’ experience in Fisheries data collection, stock assessment and Fisheries…
Speaker Isabel CALLE VALLADARES
Isabel CALLE VALLADARES

Directora Ejecutiva

Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental (SPDA)

Isabel Calle Valladares is a lawyer and environmental governance leader with more than 25 years of experience in legal advocacy, regulatory design, and public policy for the protection of the…